History of Witchcraft:
Modern Period
Witchcraft Today
After the witch trials, many witches kept quiet about their practices. Most kept to themselves and didn’t interact with other witches, but some did record their spells and magical information in a Book of Shadows. In 1951, the English parliament finally repealed their anti-witch laws. Some traditions were passed down while some new practices began. During the latter part of the 20th century, many books were published covering witchcraft, marking the beginnings of various witchcraft related religions. One of them being Gerald Gardner’s Witchcraft Today, which is connected to Gardnerian Wicca. Gardner became a sort of figurehead of Wicca. Many covens and modern Wiccans appeared under his inspiration.
Several other Wiccan religions began to surface during this time, such as Raymond Buckland (who went on to found the Seax-Wica tradition in 1973) and Alex Sanders (founder of the Alexandrian tradition of Wicca). Other neopagan practices have appeared as well reviving practices from the Egyptians, Celts, Greeks and Romans. Since 1986, Wicca has been recognized as an official religion by the US IRS and, in 1997 Wiccan religious symbols were added to the list of emblems allowed in national cemeteries and on the government-issued headstones of fallen soldiers.
As a reminder and something to remember when practicing witchcraft; witchcraft and Wicca are two entirely different topics. One does not mean the other. There are varying traditions that practice Wicca and have their own beliefs and policies.
With the large modern resurgence of the witchcraft, there are many practices and beliefs, varying from witch to witch. Covens and individual witches alike are more common and vocal about their practices. Materials and resources are much more easily accessible. Witchcraft today is getting closer and closer to being understood by the general public. And witches of all backgrounds are coming together, all helping the witchcraft movement get further than it ever has before.